


Edelweiss

by AutumnHobbit



Category: Thor (2011), Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pre-Thor (2011), Awkward but awesome Sif, F/M, Frigga is awesome, I was sleepy, Odin is a tolerable parent, Pre-Thor (2011), Protective Thor, Teenage Asgardians, Throwing Midgardian flower research in here because I was bored, Ugh, but what else is new, probable plotholes, shy loki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-22
Updated: 2014-01-27
Packaged: 2018-01-09 16:30:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1148207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AutumnHobbit/pseuds/AutumnHobbit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thor and his friends are recruited by Odin on a cold winter's day to travel to Vanaheim to investigate the mysterious disappearance of their diplomats. But when the confrontation turns dangerous, Sif is forced to face a revelation, and her feelings on said event.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, obviously I am a noob and some of this will probably make no sense. 
> 
> There are estimates floating around out there on the Internet with the idea that since Asgardian lifespans are close to 5,000 years, in human equivalents, Loki is 17 in Thor (2011). So in this story I give their ages as Loki: 15, Sif: 16, and Thor: 18. At least, the human equivalent of those ages. 
> 
> And no, it has nothing to do with The Sound of Music. So. :P

“Loki! Not fair,” Thor gritted his teeth.

Loki smirked, sparks of green light still glowing in his palm. “I don’t believe fairness was part of the equation, brother. I thought it was whether or not any of you can shoot worth a...”

Thor growled, and Loki chuckled. “Alright, then. Shall we try again?” The green light grew brighter, illuminating Loki’s face, which was lit up by amusement already. “Perhaps something a little easier for you to hit this time...”

With that, a dragon, easily sixty feet in length, burst into existence and whirled over their heads in the training yard, flaming. Loki saw Hogun grab Sif’s wrist out of the corner of his eye. She had grabbed her sword hilt by reflex, which just amused him even more.

“Loki!” Thor groaned, exasperated.

“More of a challenge?” Loki banished the dragon and replaced it with a sparrow. Thor didn’t even say anything this time, just looked at Loki with a completely bland face. Loki smirked. Sif smacked herself in the forehead. It had seemed like a good idea to recruit Loki for archery practice; with less incoming traffic for diplomatic reasons due to adverse weather, winter was a relatively dull time in Asgard, which bored Thor. Immensely. Just like she herself, he always had to be doing something. They had run out of things to do, so Thor had gone and pleaded and bribed Loki out of the library, where he had been happily settled reading a book easily as thick as one of the pillars in the throne room. So Sif supposed they couldn’t quite blame Loki for messing with them.

“Sif? You want to try?” Thor asked, holding out the bow towards her. She scoffed, “Sure, let him rip me apart over how bad I am, as well.” But she took it.

“What shall I conjure for you, Sif?” Loki asked. She snorted as she pulled an arrow out and set it to the string, “Well, unless you can throw a few of yourself out there...”

Loki laughed at that one, really laughed, and Sif smirked. She counted it as an accomplishment; not many in Asgard could make the younger prince show any emotion other than entertainment at their reaction to his pranks. “I could, if that’s what you really want.”

“No. How about...”

“A bilgesnipe!” Volstagg called. Sif glared at him. “What, was that yesterday’s dinner, Volstagg?”

“Breakfast, actually.” Both Sif and Loki rolled their eyes. Sif turned back towards the yard and drew the shaft back to her ear. Loki twisted his wrist, and a bilgesnipe ran across the field. Sif tracked it for a few seconds before she released the arrow. To her surprise, the shaft embedded itself in the projection’s side. It staggered a few steps before falling and dissipating.

Apparently not only to her surprise. Thor and the Warriors Three cheered behind her. Loki looked stunned, though he recovered himself quickly. “Shall we do a flying target this time?”

“So long as it’s not a dragon or a sparrow,” Sif agreed, loading another arrow. Loki threw a gull out into the field. Sif focused and let loose the arrow. This on struck through the eye socket, dissolving the illusion. She turned to see Thor and the others staring at her. “Perhaps you should consider switching weapons, Sif.” Thor said, clapping her on the shoulder. She shrugged with a smile. “It may come in handy someday, but I think I will stick with my glaive for now.”

Just then, a clanking sound came into the yard. The six of them turned to see a guard. “The Allfather requests your presence.”

Sif glanced at Thor and Loki, who were in turn glancing at each other. They shrugged and followed the guard, and Sif and the Warriors Three fell into step behind them, wondering what they had done this time.

***

The Allfather sat on his throne, as always, hand upon Guginir and his hard but wise gaze now turned upon his sons and their friends. Thor and Loki dropped to one knee, fists over their hearts, and the others did likewise. “You summoned us, Father?” Thor asked.

“Indeed. Vanaheim has sent us a message. As you know, they have delegates who were to be here for Yule.” Loki and Thor nodded, but they looked sour. As princes of Asgard, they had various diplomatic duties during the festivities that they were not overly fond of. “The delegates departed two weeks ago. They never made it to the Bifrost site. They have not arrived here, nor been heard from since.”

“You fear an attack?” Thor asked. Odin hesitated. “Or a plot of some sort?” Loki modified. Odin nodded. “There have been tensions recently between the two regions of the realm, the royals and the rebels. I fear for their safety, and for the stability of their home.”

“What would you have us do?” Thor asked.

“Take Sif and the Warriors Three and go to Vanaheim. See if you can find out what happened to the delegates, and bring them here if need be. It is important for the alliances between realms.”

The group nodded and rose to go. But as they turned and headed out, Odin’s voice wafted after them. “Not you, Loki.”

Thor and Loki whirled. “Why not?” they asked in unison, Thor’s tone confused and Loki’s hurt.

“You are needed here, and...”

“No he isn’t!” Thor interrupted, and Sif winced. Thor was honest, which was a virtue, but sometimes blunt, which was a fault. “He has nothing that requires him here, and...”  
“Enough.” The spear thudded on the floor as Odin stood, and the youth all couldn’t help backpedaling slightly. “Loki remains behind. That is final.”

Thor looked upset, but nodded concedingly. Loki was obviously enraged. He stormed off in the other direction as Thor and his friends went off to prepare.


	2. Chapter 2

Sif had donned her armor and stowed several extra daggers into sheaths on her ankles and beneath her armor. She decided to go and find a cloak, since it would, most likely, be cold. She found one with fur trim in one of the armories, and set off down one of the many corridors in the palace, lost in thought. She realized with a start that she was passing the library, and that the door stood slightly open. She gently pushed in. Loki sat in a chair by a table, his knees drawn up under his chin, staring at the book he had been reading uncomprehendingly. Sif hesitantly stepped closer. Loki didn’t seem to notice her. “You’re lucky, you know,” she said. Loki glanced at her. “We’ll be out there freezing, and you’ll be nice and cosy back here.” He turned and started staring at the book again. Sif pulled another chair over and sat down. “Asgard is nicest this time of year.” Loki snorted. Sif groaned interiorly. She knew that she wasn’t exactly exemplary in comforting people, but Loki was a very frustrating boy sometimes. “Alright, Loki, what is it?”

He was silent for a few more minutes. When he spoke, his voice was bitter. “Father sends  _Thor,_ in the  _dead of winter,_ to  _Vanaheim._ To deal with  _diplomacy._ ”

Sif sat for a moment, confused. “So?”

Loki laughed shortly. “Him? Diplomacy? He’s terrible at it, as he is at many things kingly...”

“Why do you do that?!” Sif demanded. “All you do is insult him, and he loves you...”

“ _I love Thor more dearly than you know,”_ Loki hissed. “But you know how he is.”

Sif froze. While she wanted to defend Thor, she knew that Loki was right; subtlety had never been his strong suit. But more than that, Loki’s outburst had revealed his true meaning. “You fear for him,” she said. Loki glanced up at her sharply, then softened and looked away. “Yes, I do,” he admitted quietly.

“You know that Thor is capable of defending himself...”

“Yes, which is more than I can do,” Loki said flippantly, but something in his tone gave him away. Sif stared. “Oh, come on. You know that everyone trusts you to..”

“ _No,_ they  _don’t!”_ Loki growled. “ _That_ is why the Allfather forbids me from coming. Just because I am smaller than Thor, and not as skilled at the sword, that immediately means that I am a  _weakling_ to be sheltered at home, while the rest of you go off and get yourselves  _killed_.”

Sif was silent, stunned. Loki petulantly threw himself back into his crouch in the chair and glared at the wall with vengeance. “Loki...” she said after a while. “You know it is my sworn duty to protect Thor..”

“I don’t want you to die, either!” Loki burst out, and Sif stared. He seemed to realize his slip and continued, “I don’t want anyone to be hurt or killed, least of all you or my brother or the failures Three. Who would I annoy?”

“I’m sure you would find someone,” Sif said distractedly, her mind still reeling from Loki’s ranting. My, what a lot of interesting things she was learning about him, today.

Loki chuckled mirthlessly. “Well, you all are the most fun.”

“Look. I will see to it that he doesn’t do anything too rash. And you can work on,” she squinted at the title of the huge book, “ _The Complete Anatomy Of Interrealm Barrel-Making_.”

“I will be finished by your return,” Loki grinned. Sif smiled as well. “I must be off,” she said, turning to leave. She paused when she felt Loki’s cool hand on her arm. She turned and glanced at him. “Sif...” he sighed. “Be careful. And watch him.” “I will,” Sif nodded. She was somewhat shocked when Loki quickly kissed her hand. For a moment, they stared at each other. Then a voice said, “Well, are you coming, or are you going to stand transfixed all day?”

Sif flushed and turned to where Thor stood in his cloak, arms folded, Volstagg behind, looking embarassed, Fandral, looking intrigued, and Hogun, looking...like Hogun. Loki’s face was almost the same scarlet as his brother’s usual cloak. He and Sif muttered excuses as they broke apart. Sif followed the others out the door, but not without shooting a bit of a smile back at Loki. To her surprise, he returned it as he grabbed the book and left...with some difficulty.

And all the way to the Bifrost, the smile still played across her lips.

***

“So, what was that back there, hmm, Sif?” Fandral asked teasingly as they rode towards the Observatory. Sif shook her head. Her cheeks still burned from her blush.

“Oh, lay off of her, Fandral,” Volstagg called. “Sif is free to like whomever she wishes.”

“I don’t...I mean, Loki....” Sif stuttered.

“Enough,” Thor said authoritatively. The other men backed off. But when they dismounted, Thor whispered, “He does like you, though.” Sif stared. “Why...?” Thor shrugged. “He always has. Even since you were our playmate when we were small.” Sif blinked, stunned. “I like you, too. But not like that. No offense,” Thor said jokingly, lightly punching her arm. She shook her head and mockingly rubbed her arm. “Thanks a lot,” she said easily.

The five of them trudged into the Observatory. Heimdall stood there, as always, ramrod straight and gazing out across the stars. “The Allfather sends you to Vanaheim,” he said in his deep voice. “Yes.” Thor replied. “I am putting your landing near the border between the two regions. Be on guard.”

Thor pulled Mjolnir off of his belt. Sif drew her glaive. The others followed suit.

Heimdall placed the sword into the slot. Sif felt the familiar pressure in her ears as the room began to spin, humming. “Be safe.” Heimdall spoke to all of them, but especially to his younger half-sister. She nodded.

And then they were gone, rocketing off across the stars. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A note about the Vanir factions:  
> In my headcanon, there are two sides of the planet; the western side, and the eastern side. The easterners rebelled against their monarch 700 years before this story. Asgard supported the rebels because the monarch was tyrannical. The rebels became the ruling class, but are still referred to as "rebels" (700 years isn't that long in Asgard.) The westerners are the original rulers/families who resent the rebels for taking control.

It was night on Vanaheim, or at least on this side of the planet. The full moon illuminated the plain surrounding the border. The quiet of the twilight was disturbed by the Bifrost touching down, digging it’s distinctive pattern into the hard, cold ground. Sif immediately slunk off, scouting around. Thor and the others glanced around as well.

Sif returned. “Seems quiet enough. Although there’s something I want Hogun to take a look at.”

They followed Sif for maybe 500 feet towards the distant royal city before they came to the site of a struggle. The grass was torn and there were scraps of metal and fabric everywhere. They all hung back expectantly to allow Hogun to examine the site. He walked around and studied it for a while. Then he pointed. “The attackers came from inside the royal city, not across the border.”

“What?” Thor said. “That doesn’t make any sense. The footprints came from the direction of the border.”

“No, they didn’t,” Sif realized. “They just walked backwards to make it look like they did.”

Hogun glanced up at her with a tinge of approval. “Yes. I fear for what this means, however. The Allfather says that the delegates never arrived at the Bifrost site. Yet they were here, but they were taken. And back to their own city. I worry that there may be multiple traitors, including some of your father’s own councillors,” he said to Thor.

Thor’s face hardened. “If there are traitors to my father here, they are fools. And I will show them so.”

He whirled and stalked off towards the city. Sif hurried after him. “Thor, wait!”

“Sif, we need not discuss this.” Thor growled. “Our duty is plain; flush out the traitor or traitors and rescue the delegates.”

“Yes, but we needn’t go rushing in there outright. If there are traitors to your father here, goodness only knows what they will do with you.”

“What do you suggest, then?” Fandral asked.

Sif smirked. “Loki would be best at it, but I do have a couple ideas. Maybe I was wrong, Thor. Walking in there outright could be the best way to handle this.”

***

The city of Valdr had been capitol of Vanaheim for 700 years, since it had been changed from Sindre, the original capitol. The two halves of the planet were still tense over the changes to their way of life, but that did not stop Valdr from being a bustling hub.

Maybe a bit less bustling when Thor marched right in the gates, clad in his usual armor and blood-red cloak. “I am Thor, son of Odin!” he shouted. “I have been sent by my father with a message for King Halvor.”

For a few moments, no one reacted, other than a few people dropping to their knees. Then, a man in a guard’s uniform stepped out of the crowd. “If my lord wishes an audience, I will take you to his majesty.”

Thor inclined his head. “Do so.” The gurad nodded and gestured to Thor to follow him. They walked off, with the guard not noticing the cloaked figure following them.

***

The guard led Thor deeper into the city, finally turning into an alley. Then, he whirled, drawing a dagger and holding it to Thor’s throat.

“You’d make a pretty ransom prisoner for the Allfather, in exchange for our sovreignty,” he hissed. “Along with all those delegates...”

Sif slammed into him from the side. He grunted and fell, the knife flying off and embedding itself in one of the walls. Sif placed the blade of her glaive onto his throat. “Stay still,” she said sweetly. Hogun emerged from behind her. “Oddly enough, you do not bear the looks _or_ accent of one from the western side of the planet.” Hogun said.

The “guard” hissed at him. “Traitor,” he snarled. “Would-be Aesir _whelp.”_

Thor snarled, twirling Mjolnir in his hands. Sif pressed her razor-sharp blade a bit closer to his neck. Hogun remained impassive. “There is only one traitor here, and that is the man you are working for. Who is he?”

The guard writhed. “I won’t say.”

“ _Who?_ ” Sif snarled, pressing her blade until blood trickled.

”...I don’t know.” he said. Thor laughed. “It’s true! We don’t know! There’s...someone...in a cloak at all the meetings who directs it.”

“Where?” Hogun asked.

The guard snarled up at them.“Well, I can’t quite show you if I’m pinned down bleeding out, yeah? So how about getting your harpy off and letting me show you.”

Sif’s face hardened, Thor’s twisted in rage, and even Hogun’s brows drew lower. “Sif. Let him up.”

Sif slowly, reluctantly climbed up. Thor gestured to him. “Betray us, and I will give you over to her entertainment.”

The guard glanced at Sif, who was practically glowing with anticipation, and shuddered.

***

Thor, Sif, and Hogun followed the guard into the palace. From there, he led them into the throne room.

King Halvor rose from his ornately carved chair when he saw them approaching. “Ah, welcome, Thor Odinson. Halvor, son of Haakon, and Karilista Halvorswife at your service.”

“Greetings to our esteemed friends,” Thor said, bowing as well. “These are the Lady Sif and Hogun the Grim, great friends of the throne of Asgard.”

“Welcome,” Karilista said. She was a delicate-looking woman, with piercingly grey eyes and thick, cascading black hair.

“What brings you to our halls, my prince?” Halvor asked.

“No message, my lord, other than to assure that Asgard’s favor rests upon your throne.” Thor said. Sif raised an eyebrow, confused.

“Well, you are most welcome to join our feast, my prince.” Karilista said graciously.

“Our thanks. I believe we shall,” Thor said, placing a fist over his heart. Sif and Hogun followed suit. Karilista called for a servant. “Escort them to a room to prepare for this evening.”


	4. Chapter 4

“What were you doing, Thor?” Sif whispered as she poured water into the basin for washing. “What about the delegates?”

Thor stared at her. “I may be daft, Sif, but even I have some clue. Look, if there is a traitor who took them, obviously they did so in secret. The king and queen have no idea that someone even took them, or else they’re feigning innocence. If we don’t mention it, perhaps someone else will and give themselves away.”

Sif sighed, shaking her head. “I hope we manage this well enough. All of us are failures at diplomacy.”

“Good thing you’ll have help, then,” a voice said from nearby.

Thor’s face tightened, and he whirled to face his brother, who was pulling a guard’s helmet off. “ _Loki!_ ” he growled. “ _What_ are you doing here?”

“Trying to save you from humiliation,” Loki said, looking equally angry. “You’re welcome, by the way.”

“Father will be furious...”  
“ _Father_ does not know that I’m here.” Loki said. “Nor will he. I left a double, anyway.”

Thor groaned. “What of Mother, then? Surely, she will be panicked.”

For a moment, Loki looked guilty, then shook his head. “She’ll be more furious if you bungle this. No, it requires a more delicate approach. We all know how you are with finesse, brother.”

“I can manage.” Thor said, annoyed.

“And I can do more than manage.”

“How did you even get here?”

“That’s none of your concern...”

“Boys!” Sif snapped, and they both glanced at her, surprised. “Stop. We can leave this for when we’re safely home. Until then, lay off, alright?”

“Yes, mum,” Loki mumbled. Sif glared at him.

“I agree with Sif,” Hogun said. “Aside from that, it’s almost time for us to be out there.”

“Off we go, then,” Thor said, marching off. With some hesitation, Loki followed. Sif elbowed him. “So, no barrel-making, then?”

Loki smirked.

***

Hogun had drifted past her to subtly whisper not to eat anything. She agreed, it was far too risky with all of this. But refusing outright would have looked bad, so she pretended to eat.

Maybe two hours in, Loki crept by her and tapped her shoulder. “Would you come and have a drink with me, my lady?” he asked courteously. Sif could sense that something was up by the look he was giving her. “Of course,” she said with a smile, following him to a table where there were glasses and various beverages. As they were bending over one of the kegs, he whispered, “Have you seen the spies?”

Sif made sure not to immediately whirl and look around. She glanced over without turning her head and saw a man in a black tunic lounging by a pillar, looking uninterested, but occasionally glancing around. Then her eyes narrowed on Thor, not too far away, talking to the queen. “Yes, apparently the delegates from Alfheim were delwayed. Odd, isn’t it?”

 _He’s baiting her,_ Sif realized. _Seeing if she or anyone else reacts to the mention of delegates._

“Yes indeed.” she responded. “If you’ll excuse me, my prince.”

With that, she left Thor. The man by the pillar left the room.

Sif glanced off at the outskirts and nodded. Two guards quickly followed the man.

***

The man walked quickly down a corridor before pausing and pressing a hand to the wall. A panel opened, and he stepped in. The guards hurriedly followed him.

He walked through the passage to a locked door and opened it, pulling out a sword as he did. Huddled in the room were seven people, men and women, looking disheveled and scared. He pointed the sword at them. “Who’s been out? Who’s been talking? Confess now, and we might not kill the lot of you.”

He paused at the feeling of steel at his neck. “You won’t anyway,” Fandral said, knocking the man on the head with the hilt of his dagger.

***

The dining room became louder as Fandral and Volstagg led the delegates in. “Who was it, who locked you in there?” Thor addressed them, when the room went silent. “Who was it? Was it him?” he gestured to the king. A man shook his head. “No, it was...”

“Look out!” one of the girls screeched, and Thor whirled and blocked the scimitar with Mjolnir. “No, it was me,” Karilista hissed.

“But...why?” her husband asked, dumbfounded.

“I was western. The easterners came and took our home, took our family’s wealth, took everything!”

“And, of course, with a few dead delegates, a fake story, and subtle hints pointing towards the king and the rebels, Asgard would surely crush them and leave your home as the head of Vanaheim,” Loki said, twirling his dagger as he poised himself for battle.

“If Asgard won’t destroy it for me, I will myself!” Karilista screeched.

“You’ll try.” Thor said.

He broke off and twisted as a crash came from the doors and a flood of guards poured in. Sif rushed the delegates and other civilians towards another exit. “Out! Quickly!” she urged. Then she whirled and pulled her glaive off her back, leaping into action and slashing across the chest of one of the guards. He shouted and went down. She spun her glaive and batted another on the head. He too fell with a thud. She just heard a third coming up behind her, then heard yet another thud. She turned to see him lying dead with Loki’s knife in his neck.

Sif glanced down and saw that the guard was wearing a bow and carrying a quiver. She quickly pulled them off and stowed them on herself, thinking that they might be useful.

Together with Thor, the Warriors Three, and Loki, they finished off most of the guards rather quickly. Karilista had been trapped by fighting and unable to escape. She backed away now, with only four guards left. They ran to her, and she backed towards a window. Thor, Loki, Sif, and the Warriors came up and surrounded them.

“Give it up, Karilista. It’s over.” Thor said.

“No it isn’t. It never will be.” she hissed. “So long as I live.”

“We can rectify that,” Loki said.

“You can try.”

Suddenly, a roar came to their attention. They glanced up to see a dragon, silver-colored, bursting up from beneath the palace, and flying up to where Karilista was standing. She gestured to the guards to distract the Asgardians as she leapt onto the dragon. Loki saw, and threw up several duplicates to distract the guards. They followed the duplicates, and the Warriors Three followed them. “Sif!” he shouted. “Don’t let her escape!”

Sif pulled the bow from her back and set an arrow to the string. She glanced up. Her hand was shaking as she drew back, but she focused as best she could. The dragon’s ruby eye sparkled, and she let the arrow loose. It struck directly in the creature’s eye, and it shrieked and spiralled. When Karilista passed the window as she fell with it, she pulled a dagger from her clothes and hurled it in the window. Sif dodged, then stared, shocked, as the woman and the dragon fell with a bone-shattering crunch to the ground below.

It was so quiet.

Sif turned, and then froze. Loki’s duplicates had dissapeared; all except one, which was sinking to it’s knees, a dagger plunged into it’s back. “No,” she whispered.

Thor dropped down and caught his brother as he crumpled to the ground. “Loki, no, please,” Thor begged. Loki didn’t stir, just lay limply against his brother’s shoulder. Sif sprinted over and dropped to her knees beside the two, pressing a fingertip to Loki’s neck. She sighed heavily when she felt his pulse pushing against her touch.

“Sif, what should we do?” Thor was panicked. Sif couldn’t blame him. “We need help. Get the others. You should go, and quickly.”

Thor looked heartsick. “Sif, I _can’t...._ ”

“I’ll stay with him. Go!” Thor choked back a sob, then laid Loki against Sif as gently as he could. He ruffled his brother’s hair gently. “I’m sorry, Loki. Please, just...just be alright.”

“Go on, Thor.” Sif said gently. Thor nodded and hurried off.

Sif turned to the limp form lying on her shoulder. She would be the first to admit that she was a warrior, not a healer. But being on the battlefield required a certain knowledge of injuries, so she leaned over to look at Loki’s wound. The dagger was embedded up to the hilt in his back. It wasn’t in his spine, thank goodness, but for all she knew it could have been buried in an organ. She wasn’t sure what to do about the dagger; certainly, it’s presence was bad, but taking it out would hurt him horribly, and she had no guarantee that he wouldn’t simply bleed to death once it was out, so she decided to leave it in.

She eased him down as gently as possible and laid him on his side on the floor. She pulled his head onto her leg and stroked his cheek. “Loki?” His face twisted slightly. “Loki?” she called again. He cringed, then coughed hard. Blood trickled out of his mouth, and Sif felt panic rising in her chest. “Loki, stay with me, alright? You have to, please...”

His lashes fluttered and his eyes focused on her. “Guess Father was right, hmm?” he smiled weakly.

Sif resisted the urge to smack him. “Don’t talk like that. It wasn’t your fault, it was an honest mistake.”

“A deadly one,” he choked out.

“You’re _not_ going to die.” Sif said firmly, almost harshly.

“Why not?” Loki whispered, his lashes fluttering.

“Because I _forbid_ it.” Sif said, choking back tears. “And so does Thor.”

Loki winced at the mention of his brother. “Ah. Yes, I suppose so.” He was silent for a moment. “Is he alright?”

“Who?”

“Thor, of course,” Loki said, irritated.

“Other than beside himself worrying over you, he’s fine.” Sif said. Loki sighed and closed his eyes again. “Loki, don’t you dare take that as an excuse to give up,” Sif snarled. Loki didn’t respond, having passed out again. Sif heard running footsteps outside, and Thor appeared with the Warriors Three flanking him. Volstagg and Fandral were dragging a stretcher with them. Thor ran to her side. “How is he?”

Sif shrugged helplessly. “I can’t tell how bad it is. He woke up for a bit, but he was coughing blood.”

“We must get him home,” Volstagg said, kneeling beside Loki’s still form and helping Fandral move him. Loki groaned when they lifted the strecher, and he reached for Sif. She grabbed his hand. “Stay close, please,” Loki whispered, and she did.


	5. Chapter 5

When she saw that the Allfather was waiting when they arrived, Sif almost panicked.

Until she remembered that she was already panicking, so it didn’t matter.

Volstagg and Fandral paused and bowed their heads, since their hands were full. Sif knelt, but she kept clinging to Loki’s hand, which was cold, but also sweaty.

Odin said nothing, which unnerved her even more. He simply looked over the youth before him, before gesturing for them to continue on, though the five words he uttered still rang in all their ears. “We will discuss this later.”

That did not sound good for any of them. Though Sif was beginning to worry that Loki might not live to get his talking-to. He had become awfully pale, even on the short trip to the Bifrost, he was shaking, and his breath was coming in ragged gasps. But he still held onto Sif, so she jogged to keep up.

Once they were inside the Healing Rooms, her friends set the bier down, and several healers, including Eir, immediately swarmed over. After a few moments, there was a bang, and Queen Frigga rushed over breathlessly, sinking dow next to Sif. “Oh, Loki,” she said softly, running her fingers through his hair. He glanced up weakly, his green eyes pain-glazed, but he still managed a bit of a smile. It turned into a cringe when Eir lightly touched his wound. She glanced up. “It is good that you did not remove the dagger there, Sif. He would have bled to death on the way back, for certain.”

“But?” the Queen asked, hearing the unsaid.

“But, it will have to come out.” Eir said. “And I’m afraid it will hurt.”

“No more than it did going in, I would hope,” Loki croaked, and no one could help but chuckle. Sif didn’t want to see this, but when she tried to pull away, Loki grasped harder. “Please,” he whispered, his eyes half-lidded, and she swallowed hard. Eir grasped the hilt, gently but firmly. “On three.” Loki set his jaw. “One. Two. Three.” She pulled, and Sif cringed at Loki’s scream. Frigga murmured to him and stroked his sweaty hair. He panted heavily, whimpering in between. Sif glanced over and saw the blood pouring from his back, and felt sick. Eir and the other healers quickly set to dressing the wound. Loki only managed a bit longer before he passed out from pain again, his hand finally slackening it’s grip on Sif’s.

She wasn’t sure what to do now, as they whisked him off to get him settled in a bed. She sat there, almost numb, until she felt a hand on her shoulder. She glanced up to see Queen Frigga standing there. “Are you alright, Sif, dear?” she asked gently. Sif shook her head to clear it. “Um...yes, my queen.” She stood, albeit a bit shakily. Frigga smiled at her. “Thank you.” Sif was confused. “For what?”

“Thor tells me that you stayed with him and helped. I appreciate it, and I’m certain he does, as well.”

“I swore I would protect them as best I could.” Sif said. “And I failed. It was the least I could do.”

Frigga simply gazed at her perceptively, so much like Loki, and Sif felt uncomfortable, even though she knew that her queen meant no harm. She finally spoke fondly, “Yes, the Lady Sif keeps her promises, no matter the cost.” She patted Sif’s shoulder once more and drifted off, leaving Sif to wonder what she had meant.

***

Sif stepped out of the Healing Rooms and glanced around. The only one in sight was Thor, who was perched on a bench, sitting hunched over, looking scared and heartsick. She walked over and quietly sat down next to him. He glanced up at her. “How is he?”

Sif shook her head. “They took the knife out. He passed out. He was bleeding a lot, and your mother and Eir look worried.” Thor glanced away. “I can’t believe I let that happen. After all of this, all the training, after all the arguing about my skills, and I couldn’t protect him from _one dagger..._ ”

Sif suddenly saw it clearly in her mind’s eye; Karilista drawing the dagger and throwing it, and her dodging. _Dodging,_ and the knife had hit him. She choked.

_It was my fault. It was all my fault._

She blinked and saw Thor grasping her shoulders, looking at her worriedly. “What is it? Were you hurt?”

She shook her head vigorously, eyes smarting. “No, but I _should_ be....she threw it, and I took an oath to protect you two, and I _dodged..._ and I just _let it..._ ”

“Sif,” Thor said, gently, almost sorrowfully. “It wasn’t...”

A clanking noise distracted the two. A guard stood nearby. “The Allfather demands your presence.”

Thor froze, and Sif swallowed hard. _Demands._

That did not bode well. Not at _all._


	6. Chapter 6

“Since you are all assembled,” Odin said, very calmly, “Would anyone like to explain to me how this little escapade turned into a full-scale skirmish in the capitol and earned us a knife in our youngest prince’s back?”

Sif bit her lip, debating whether or not to speak up. She was about to when Thor spoke. “Forgive me, Father.” he said. “The situation got...out of hand.”

“I can see that.”

“The Vanir Queen turned coat.” Hogun said. “She took the delegates and was planning to either ransom them or kill them, or possibly both, and blame it upon the rebels, hoping that you would bring justice upon them and restore her line and home as royalty.”

Odin nodded, indicating acceptance. “And what of Loki?”

“The Queen did that, as well. I doubt she was aiming directly for him, however. She was attempting to escape upon a dragon. Sif killed it, or at the very least wounded it gravely. As they fell, she threw it in the window. In vengeance, I would assume.” Thor said.

“Thor, when you left on this trip, did you even consider the consequences? You could have called for aid and subdued them that much more quickly. And your brother snuck along? Even though he did disobey, it is your duty as prince to protect him, even barring your duty as his older brother. One day, the two of you will be the most important people in Asgard, and you will _have_ to defend against those who would do you harm. And yet you allowed a _single_ enemy to come close enough to the both of you to hurt him? I expected better of you, _both_ of you.”

Sif watched as Thor flinched with every sentence. He looked crushed. He was already feeling guilty just from the fact that he had allowed all this to happen, and she knew that he wanted more than anything to just go and check on Loki, or to run and hide where he could nurse his hurts alone. The longer Odin spoke, the more Sif’s conscience protested, and so she stepped forward. “If you wish to punish someone, Allfather, punish me,” she broke in. “I took the oath long ago to defend your sons, and I failed. The knife was meant for me.”

There was silence in the hall for a moment. Then Odin sighed. “You...all six of you...” he rubbed his hand over his face, “Are the most reckless, senseless, enthusiastic fools I have ever known.” The group all hung their heads. But then Odin spoke softly, “And all superior to myself at your age. Go, and be at peace.”

Thor glanced at Sif in stunned silence. Then, as one, all of them bowed and hurried out, Thor and Sif heading back towards the Healing Halls.

Odin settled back onto his throne, unable to keep the slight smile from his face.

***

Four days later, the group, minus Loki, stood in the Training Yards, back to archery practice. Frigga had sent Thor and Sif off, assuring them that Loki was fine, but resting, and insisting that they needed their rest, as well. In the past few days, Frigga was still quarantining Loki, and Thor was frustrated; so much so that he had broken all the training dummies in the yards, and had to turn to archery whilst they were being repaired. He let off another arrow, which hit the outside edge of the wooden target. He growled in frustration, and Sif groaned. But then a voice from behind them made them all jump.

“I leave you all for less than a week, and look at the state you’re in.”

Sif whirled and saw Loki standing there, arms crossed over his chest and a smirk on his face. He looked none the worse for having been coughing blood only a few days ago.

Thor dropped the bow and sprinted over, grabbing Loki in a hug before he could react. He blinked, awkwardly patting his older brother’s back with his free hand. Thor set him down. “How do you fare, brother?” Loki rolled his eyes. “If I wasn’t better, you know Mother would never have let me out.”

“Very true. Well, you showed up at just the right moment, as usual. We could use some more targets.”

“I’ll be sure to pick something a little more suited to your tastes this time.” Loki said dryly. “I’ve had enough of dragons for a while.”

They trained for several hours, and though both Thor and Sif kept a close eye on him, Loki did well. Although he was on edge about something, Sif could tell. Anxious, almost. She wondered what could be bothering him.

 Finally, exhausted from hard work and laughter, the group headed to the armory to put everything away and head home for dinner. Sif had set her bracers on the shelf when she caught sight of it; a white blossom wrapped in a red ribbon. She reached for it, and the ribbon dissolved into green mist when she touched it, but the flower remained. She gazed at it for a moment, knowing that she recognized it from somewhere. Then she remembered a tome that Queen Frigga had shown her once, when she was small. It was a book of Midgardian flowers. “Edelweiss,” the Queen had said. “To the mortals, it symbolises daring, courage, and noble purity.”

She turned and glanced over. Loki was conversing in small talk with Thor, obviously trying to avoid making eye contact with her. He was also flushed slightly, though she guessed Thor attributed it to exertion. When Loki knew he could avoid it no longer, he looked at her. She smiled earnestly at him, and to her surprise, he smiled back enthusiastically.

And when they left, it was not lost on Thor that the two of them hung back to walk together, nor that Sif held the flower tightly the whole way home. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Feel free to leave feedback, etc. :)


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